If you are thinking about starting a newsletter or already have one, here are some things to consider.
Go with a professional newsletter service. Yes, there are many newsletter options out there from software to mailing list programs provided by hosting accounts.
The bottom line is - you have an important message and want it to reach the intended recipient.
If your newsletters are not sent carefully they could wind up in a spam filter. Why? Because emails containing graphics are easily seen as spam - IF they are not formatted properly.
What is proper formatting? That's a good question. Most people don't know and so their emails wind up getting filtered out. What's worse is that email formatting standards change quite often.
Adding graphics into an email using Outlook may sound quick and easy, but it's not a very good idea (certainly not professional). It's not a good idea to use Outlook for mailing lists, let alone using it to add graphics to emails.
I would strongly suggest a company like "Constant Contact" (http://www.constantcontact.com/) where you can pick from many email templates that are tested and "spam filter friendly". Not only will their templates give your newsletter a more professional look but you can also get some useful reports about who opens your emails, if they are forwarded to friends, etc.
Stick with the pros and, in return, you should see better results and look more professional at the same time.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Transferring Your Domain Registrar
Why transfer your domain name to another registrar? Here are some reasons...
1) Keep the billing in one place. Why pay 3 companies for your domain name renewal, web hosting and site maintenance when you can pay the same company for all these things. Not all companies offer these services. Web Feat feat does and I would be glad to help during your transition process (more on that in a future blog).
2) Some Registrars are hard to deal with. Unless the registrar knows you personally, which is rarely the case, expect to follow every strict procedure they have in order to update your contact information or even gain acces to your account. Quite often I see people lose the login info to their registrar, coupled with outdated contact information on their domain. This dangerous combination could result in losing control over your domain name. One of the great things about Web Feat is we know our customers personally. This personal service translates into very easy management of your domain name information.
3) Ease of use. Some registrars make it too difficult to update your contact information. This is because their admin panel is so filled with links and advertisements, it's becomes hard to find the one thing you're looking for. Not only is the Web Feat domain admin panel easy to use, but I will update the information for you, if interested.
4) Cost. There is no standard price for domain name registration or renewals. Sometimes you can save a few dollars a year by moving your domain registration to another provider. This should never be sole reason why you transfer your domain registration. Review numbers #1-#3 above and you'll see why low price isn't everything.
If you're thinking about making it easier to maintain your domain name(s), let me know and I will give a free consultation on the status of your current registration.
When it comes to transferring your registrar, you definitely want to be proactive. Being reactive to a domain related problem can be frustrating, largely due to the time involved and procedures that may need to be followed during the resolution time.
It's best to deal with domain issues while you have time on your side and it's not imperative that your domain be updated.
In the future I will post on the many different aspects of domain names from Auto Renewals to ID protection.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
1) Keep the billing in one place. Why pay 3 companies for your domain name renewal, web hosting and site maintenance when you can pay the same company for all these things. Not all companies offer these services. Web Feat feat does and I would be glad to help during your transition process (more on that in a future blog).
2) Some Registrars are hard to deal with. Unless the registrar knows you personally, which is rarely the case, expect to follow every strict procedure they have in order to update your contact information or even gain acces to your account. Quite often I see people lose the login info to their registrar, coupled with outdated contact information on their domain. This dangerous combination could result in losing control over your domain name. One of the great things about Web Feat is we know our customers personally. This personal service translates into very easy management of your domain name information.
3) Ease of use. Some registrars make it too difficult to update your contact information. This is because their admin panel is so filled with links and advertisements, it's becomes hard to find the one thing you're looking for. Not only is the Web Feat domain admin panel easy to use, but I will update the information for you, if interested.
4) Cost. There is no standard price for domain name registration or renewals. Sometimes you can save a few dollars a year by moving your domain registration to another provider. This should never be sole reason why you transfer your domain registration. Review numbers #1-#3 above and you'll see why low price isn't everything.
If you're thinking about making it easier to maintain your domain name(s), let me know and I will give a free consultation on the status of your current registration.
When it comes to transferring your registrar, you definitely want to be proactive. Being reactive to a domain related problem can be frustrating, largely due to the time involved and procedures that may need to be followed during the resolution time.
It's best to deal with domain issues while you have time on your side and it's not imperative that your domain be updated.
In the future I will post on the many different aspects of domain names from Auto Renewals to ID protection.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Adding Domains To Your Account
We recently made some changes to our handling of DNS. Without getting into what DNS is or the kinds of changes we made, this was undoubtebly a much needed change with benefits both to us and our clients.
For our clients, it means you now have the ability to add Parked or Addon Domains right from Cpanel without having to contact Tech Support. So, what are Parked and Addon Domains?
1) Parked Domains: Let's say you own domain.com, domain.net and domain.org. If your main account is domain.com, you can add a parked domain so the .net and .org variations also point to your main account. In other words, all domains point to the same hosted space.
To do this, login to Cpanel and click on "Parked Domans" under the "Domains" section. Enter the domain name for your parked domain and click "Add Domain". You're done.
2) Addon Domains: Let's say you want to point a domain name to your account, but you want it to have it's own page. For example, you already have domain.com and would like to add domain2.com so it has it's own separate webpage.
To do this, login to Cpanel and select "Addon Domains" under "Domains". Enter your domain name and then specify the location folder and password. Click Add domain and you're done.
Some things to keep in mind...
1) For Parked and Addon Domains you need to register these names first. I can help you with this, of course.
2) With Addon Domains, each domain will share hosting space with the main account. This also means the same Cpanel will serve all Addon domains, so be careful whom you give admin access to.
3) Email addresses can easily be added for Parked and Addon domains. To do this, login to Cpanel on the main account and select "Email Accounts". When adding a new account you'll notice a dropdown menu showing all the domains pointed to your account.
4) Be sure to watch the "Video Tutorials" located in each section of Cpanel which provide step by step instructions for adding these domains to your account.
If you have any questions, just let me know.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
For our clients, it means you now have the ability to add Parked or Addon Domains right from Cpanel without having to contact Tech Support. So, what are Parked and Addon Domains?
1) Parked Domains: Let's say you own domain.com, domain.net and domain.org. If your main account is domain.com, you can add a parked domain so the .net and .org variations also point to your main account. In other words, all domains point to the same hosted space.
To do this, login to Cpanel and click on "Parked Domans" under the "Domains" section. Enter the domain name for your parked domain and click "Add Domain". You're done.
2) Addon Domains: Let's say you want to point a domain name to your account, but you want it to have it's own page. For example, you already have domain.com and would like to add domain2.com so it has it's own separate webpage.
To do this, login to Cpanel and select "Addon Domains" under "Domains". Enter your domain name and then specify the location folder and password. Click Add domain and you're done.
Some things to keep in mind...
1) For Parked and Addon Domains you need to register these names first. I can help you with this, of course.
2) With Addon Domains, each domain will share hosting space with the main account. This also means the same Cpanel will serve all Addon domains, so be careful whom you give admin access to.
3) Email addresses can easily be added for Parked and Addon domains. To do this, login to Cpanel on the main account and select "Email Accounts". When adding a new account you'll notice a dropdown menu showing all the domains pointed to your account.
4) Be sure to watch the "Video Tutorials" located in each section of Cpanel which provide step by step instructions for adding these domains to your account.
If you have any questions, just let me know.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Friday, June 20, 2008
Improving Efficency with Functionality
Aside from advertising, your website can be used to better serve existing clients. This can have it's many benefits both for you and your customers. For example...
I have a client using email as the only means of sending large files to their customers. These files are often 15MB+ in size. The problem is some emails simply never reach their recipient. These emails could be caught in spam filters or possibly timed out somewhere along the network due to their size. This has also cost our client much time as they always follow-up emails with a phone call verification.
The real problem isn't about where the emails are going. The issue is with the method of delivery.
Instead of emailing the files, how about uploading them to your own server where your customers can access it?
I proposed building a file transport system enabling our client to upload files to a server using a web-based control panel. Their customers will be given their own login username/password to access these files.
To get a little more technical - we'll build a web-based control panel that will give our client the ability of uploading files to the server and to specify who they are for. Once the upload is finished our client can verify instantly if the files are on the server. This will save time (and possibly money) on a phone call to their customer.
Meanwhile the customer will previously have been given a web address and username/password. Once logged in they can view the files available and download them.
We often focus too much on the advertising side of our websites. Sure, they can be used to drive up sales. However, they can also be used to better serve your existing clients. This can be done by adding functionality to your website that will save you time and money while strenghtening your customer service.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
I have a client using email as the only means of sending large files to their customers. These files are often 15MB+ in size. The problem is some emails simply never reach their recipient. These emails could be caught in spam filters or possibly timed out somewhere along the network due to their size. This has also cost our client much time as they always follow-up emails with a phone call verification.
The real problem isn't about where the emails are going. The issue is with the method of delivery.
Instead of emailing the files, how about uploading them to your own server where your customers can access it?
I proposed building a file transport system enabling our client to upload files to a server using a web-based control panel. Their customers will be given their own login username/password to access these files.
To get a little more technical - we'll build a web-based control panel that will give our client the ability of uploading files to the server and to specify who they are for. Once the upload is finished our client can verify instantly if the files are on the server. This will save time (and possibly money) on a phone call to their customer.
Meanwhile the customer will previously have been given a web address and username/password. Once logged in they can view the files available and download them.
We often focus too much on the advertising side of our websites. Sure, they can be used to drive up sales. However, they can also be used to better serve your existing clients. This can be done by adding functionality to your website that will save you time and money while strenghtening your customer service.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Which Outgoing Mail Server Is Best To Use?
With any POP email account you have the option of using the SMTP setting given by your domain hosting provider or your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
It's common to assume sending email through your domain SMTP is better or preferred. However, it's actually better to use the SMTP setting of your ISP and here are some things to keep in mind....
1) Sending email through your domain SMTP or ISP is like deciding which Post Office to use for sending your package. It comes down to "carriers". Both Post Offices will get the job done and your package will look the same on the other side.
2) Regarding your "package" looking the same, many believe if you change the SMTP setting to your ISP it won't show the email came from an address on your domain. This is a common misconception. As I said, the SMTP setting only changes the carrier. The settings that define the email sender is all handled by the email software you're using. It has nothing to do with the SMTP setting.
3) Sending through your ISP will better ensure your email makes it to the intended destination. This never used to be the case but now with major networks such as Comcast and Bellsouth blocking servers they believe are sending spam, this has changed the SMTP landscape. In my last blog post I explained why this is happening.
4) To send email through your ISP, simply contact them as ask for your SMTP, outgoing mail server setting. Keep in mind that many of the techs working the phones at your ISP are not too knowledgeable about this stuff. I hate to say it but I've experienced this many times over. It's likely you will know more about this subject now than they do.
5) Finally, some ISPs require you to send through their SMTP server. Since I work out of many locations, I often have to toggle my SMTP settings between Cox, Comcast and a local provider simply because none of them allow using my domain SMTP.
If you have any questions about this, don't hesitate to let me know!
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
It's common to assume sending email through your domain SMTP is better or preferred. However, it's actually better to use the SMTP setting of your ISP and here are some things to keep in mind....
1) Sending email through your domain SMTP or ISP is like deciding which Post Office to use for sending your package. It comes down to "carriers". Both Post Offices will get the job done and your package will look the same on the other side.
2) Regarding your "package" looking the same, many believe if you change the SMTP setting to your ISP it won't show the email came from an address on your domain. This is a common misconception. As I said, the SMTP setting only changes the carrier. The settings that define the email sender is all handled by the email software you're using. It has nothing to do with the SMTP setting.
3) Sending through your ISP will better ensure your email makes it to the intended destination. This never used to be the case but now with major networks such as Comcast and Bellsouth blocking servers they believe are sending spam, this has changed the SMTP landscape. In my last blog post I explained why this is happening.
4) To send email through your ISP, simply contact them as ask for your SMTP, outgoing mail server setting. Keep in mind that many of the techs working the phones at your ISP are not too knowledgeable about this stuff. I hate to say it but I've experienced this many times over. It's likely you will know more about this subject now than they do.
5) Finally, some ISPs require you to send through their SMTP server. Since I work out of many locations, I often have to toggle my SMTP settings between Cox, Comcast and a local provider simply because none of them allow using my domain SMTP.
If you have any questions about this, don't hesitate to let me know!
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Forwarding Email
We have many clients who forward their domain emails to off-network accounts, such as gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc.
It's important to realize that sometimes your emails won't get to their forwarded destination. Sure, most of the time there won't be a problem but whenever you involve more than one email provider it increases the odds that something can go wrong. I'm sure you've heard the saying "too many cooks in the kitchen" and that applies here.
Below are a list of incidents that can interfere with your forwarded emails...
1) Network outages. If there's a bad router somewhere along a network path it often causes a timeout on any request coming through. Such outages are completely random and usually fixed within minutes to hours. However, if you happened to have an important email forwarding at that time you may not see it on the other side.
2) Network blocks. Sometimes a network will setup blocks on certain servers because it believes there is spam originating from that server. For example, if domain.com is forwarding emails to a Comcast address, all the legit emails are being sent over as well as the junk mail. Comcast thinks domain.com is spamming it's email account, when those spam emails are actually just being forwarded from domain.com to their network. This misunderstanding will cause Comcast to block any emails sent from the server hosting domain.com. How does this affect you? If your account is also hosted on the same server as domain.com you will be blocked from sending emails to Comcast. Even if you have a unique IP address it doesn't matter....it all comes back to the same server.
3) Spam filters. Anytime you forward an email to another provider you're at the mercy of their email filters. Spam filtering is variable and always in response to the type of spam that is common at that time. Emails that may have passed through a filter two weeks ago may not make it through today. With the rules of filtering always changing, be mindful that your forwarded emails may be filtered out from time to time.
So what can be done to maximize the retrieval of your emails?
1) Keep a local copy of your email. If you have an address at domain.com and are forwarding emails to a gmail account, be sure to keep a local copy of your email at your domain. This way if there's a problem with your forwarding you can still view your emails by checking your domain account.
2) Keep an eye on your quarantine list. If you have a spam filter, always keep an eye on the emails it's filtering out. Any good spam filtering system will provide this option. It's important to check this daily. No spam filter is 100% accurate so it's important to check daily for that small percentage of legit emails that might be filtered.
3) Check your email account space often. If your email accont runs out of space, no new email will be received. It's always a good idea to make sure you have enough space.
I am working on the network block issue by ensuring that all email accounts on our servers have EAS (Easy Anti-Spam) enabled. This will reduce the amount of spam leaving our servers by way of forwarding.
If you have any questions about how to keep a local copy of your email or how to view space, please let me know.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
It's important to realize that sometimes your emails won't get to their forwarded destination. Sure, most of the time there won't be a problem but whenever you involve more than one email provider it increases the odds that something can go wrong. I'm sure you've heard the saying "too many cooks in the kitchen" and that applies here.
Below are a list of incidents that can interfere with your forwarded emails...
1) Network outages. If there's a bad router somewhere along a network path it often causes a timeout on any request coming through. Such outages are completely random and usually fixed within minutes to hours. However, if you happened to have an important email forwarding at that time you may not see it on the other side.
2) Network blocks. Sometimes a network will setup blocks on certain servers because it believes there is spam originating from that server. For example, if domain.com is forwarding emails to a Comcast address, all the legit emails are being sent over as well as the junk mail. Comcast thinks domain.com is spamming it's email account, when those spam emails are actually just being forwarded from domain.com to their network. This misunderstanding will cause Comcast to block any emails sent from the server hosting domain.com. How does this affect you? If your account is also hosted on the same server as domain.com you will be blocked from sending emails to Comcast. Even if you have a unique IP address it doesn't matter....it all comes back to the same server.
3) Spam filters. Anytime you forward an email to another provider you're at the mercy of their email filters. Spam filtering is variable and always in response to the type of spam that is common at that time. Emails that may have passed through a filter two weeks ago may not make it through today. With the rules of filtering always changing, be mindful that your forwarded emails may be filtered out from time to time.
So what can be done to maximize the retrieval of your emails?
1) Keep a local copy of your email. If you have an address at domain.com and are forwarding emails to a gmail account, be sure to keep a local copy of your email at your domain. This way if there's a problem with your forwarding you can still view your emails by checking your domain account.
2) Keep an eye on your quarantine list. If you have a spam filter, always keep an eye on the emails it's filtering out. Any good spam filtering system will provide this option. It's important to check this daily. No spam filter is 100% accurate so it's important to check daily for that small percentage of legit emails that might be filtered.
3) Check your email account space often. If your email accont runs out of space, no new email will be received. It's always a good idea to make sure you have enough space.
I am working on the network block issue by ensuring that all email accounts on our servers have EAS (Easy Anti-Spam) enabled. This will reduce the amount of spam leaving our servers by way of forwarding.
If you have any questions about how to keep a local copy of your email or how to view space, please let me know.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Monday, June 16, 2008
Spam Filter Quarantine List
I've had some clients ask about how to view emails that Easy AntiSpam (EAS) has filtered out. Just so you know, there is no way to view every single email it filters because a good number of them are known spam or viruses. However, the rest are available for you to see and here is how:
1) Provided you are currently using EAS, please go to http://www.protectedmail.net/.
2) Click the link that says "Need to activate your account?"
3) Enter your email address. Two emails will be sent to you. One email will include a verification link and the other will be a temporary password.
4) Simply follow the straightforward instructions within each email and you'll gain access to your Qurantine list.
5) Once inside you'll see a list of the emails that have been filtered out. To have this list emailed to you daily, click on the "Preferences" tab.
6) The "Daily Digest" is disabled by default. To receive the digest by email simply select "Enable" from the dropdown menu.
7) I would also suggest selecting "HTML" in the Email Format option. This will make it much easier to read as I've found the text option hard to read.
More features are coming including whitelisting, enabling you to ensure certain senders are always allowed through.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
1) Provided you are currently using EAS, please go to http://www.protectedmail.net/.
2) Click the link that says "Need to activate your account?"
3) Enter your email address. Two emails will be sent to you. One email will include a verification link and the other will be a temporary password.
4) Simply follow the straightforward instructions within each email and you'll gain access to your Qurantine list.
5) Once inside you'll see a list of the emails that have been filtered out. To have this list emailed to you daily, click on the "Preferences" tab.
6) The "Daily Digest" is disabled by default. To receive the digest by email simply select "Enable" from the dropdown menu.
7) I would also suggest selecting "HTML" in the Email Format option. This will make it much easier to read as I've found the text option hard to read.
More features are coming including whitelisting, enabling you to ensure certain senders are always allowed through.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Last Of The Host5 Moves
The last of the Host5 moves should be completed by the end of the weekend. We ran into a few larger accounts, which take time to transfer. However, the moves continue to go very smoothly.
These last few accounts are being restored directly from Host5 and not from a backup.
I'll have another update within 24 hours.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
These last few accounts are being restored directly from Host5 and not from a backup.
I'll have another update within 24 hours.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Friday, June 13, 2008
Host5 Migration continues
It looks like tonight (Friday) will see the last remaining moves from Host5 to the new Host8. I'd say 99% of all moves have gone without any incident. This is excellent news and also encouraging for similar migrations we'd like to make for some of our other servers.
Regarding the current migration, here are some random notes:
1) How tell tell if your website has been moved? For Windows users, select Start > Run and then enter "ping yourwebsite.com". Of course, substitute your actual domain name where it says "yourwebsite.com". A black box will appear and some numbers will begin appearing in three rows. If the last number is .96, you're on the new server. If it reports .7, you're still on Host5. If it reports something other than .96 or .7 you're not on Host5 and not affected by this move.
2) Webmail is now using /webmail or /sqmail instead of /squirrelmail. We've been phasing out /squirrelmail for quite some time on our new servers. We think it's too long, hard to remember and possibly a spelling hazard. So, for example, if your website is abc.com, you would access web-based email by going to http://www.abc.com/webmail. Keep in mind we're still using Squirrelmail, just modifying how you access it.
3) If there are any pages or forms on your website that are being called securely, please be sure to modify your secure path from host5 to host8. That's all you need to do.
4) Check your website and verify it's the last version you updated. Because some sites were restored from a recent backup, it's possible some changes were made just after our backup was created of your site. This means the restored version of your website would not have included your changes.
That's all for now, check back for more updates...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Regarding the current migration, here are some random notes:
1) How tell tell if your website has been moved? For Windows users, select Start > Run and then enter "ping yourwebsite.com". Of course, substitute your actual domain name where it says "yourwebsite.com". A black box will appear and some numbers will begin appearing in three rows. If the last number is .96, you're on the new server. If it reports .7, you're still on Host5. If it reports something other than .96 or .7 you're not on Host5 and not affected by this move.
2) Webmail is now using /webmail or /sqmail instead of /squirrelmail. We've been phasing out /squirrelmail for quite some time on our new servers. We think it's too long, hard to remember and possibly a spelling hazard. So, for example, if your website is abc.com, you would access web-based email by going to http://www.abc.com/webmail. Keep in mind we're still using Squirrelmail, just modifying how you access it.
3) If there are any pages or forms on your website that are being called securely, please be sure to modify your secure path from host5 to host8. That's all you need to do.
4) Check your website and verify it's the last version you updated. Because some sites were restored from a recent backup, it's possible some changes were made just after our backup was created of your site. This means the restored version of your website would not have included your changes.
That's all for now, check back for more updates...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Host5 Move Continues
At this hour sites continue to move from Host5 to Host8.
There have been very few problems as a result of the move up to this point. Our two goals of no downtime and continuous email are holding together.
For those clients using our free SSL, be sure to modify your form code to call "host8" instead of "host5" in your path.
By Thursday morning we should be more than halfway through the move and we expect to finish up sometime Thursday night.
Stay tuned...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
There have been very few problems as a result of the move up to this point. Our two goals of no downtime and continuous email are holding together.
For those clients using our free SSL, be sure to modify your form code to call "host8" instead of "host5" in your path.
By Thursday morning we should be more than halfway through the move and we expect to finish up sometime Thursday night.
Stay tuned...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Host5 On The Move
Today we moved a few accounts from Host5 to Host8 as an initial test and so far so good. No problems to report.
As a precaution we're moving another batch now (overnight) and will see what happens. Provided everything goes okay I look to move more accounts tomorrow night.
Please keep in mind if you have made any recent updates to your website on Host5 you may need to republish once your site is moved to Host8. It's possible those changes were made prior to our backup from this week.
As mentioned in an earlier post you may see some emails that you've already seen before. This is because when we backup your account it copies everything on your account at that exact moment. If you had unread emails in your Inbox they will return when we restore it. However, we do expect email flow to be uninterrupted.
The worst case scenario is you may have some email on Host5 and new email coming in to Host8. We can provide you with a "backdoor" link so that you can retrieve your Host5 email.
Stay tuned for another update on Wednesday.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
As a precaution we're moving another batch now (overnight) and will see what happens. Provided everything goes okay I look to move more accounts tomorrow night.
Please keep in mind if you have made any recent updates to your website on Host5 you may need to republish once your site is moved to Host8. It's possible those changes were made prior to our backup from this week.
As mentioned in an earlier post you may see some emails that you've already seen before. This is because when we backup your account it copies everything on your account at that exact moment. If you had unread emails in your Inbox they will return when we restore it. However, we do expect email flow to be uninterrupted.
The worst case scenario is you may have some email on Host5 and new email coming in to Host8. We can provide you with a "backdoor" link so that you can retrieve your Host5 email.
Stay tuned for another update on Wednesday.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday Move Update
Right now we're looking at Tuesday evening for moving sites from Host5 to Host8.
It's possible the move could take 2-3 nights depending on how we're progressing with getting sites switched over and fixing any issues as a result.
One thing is certain, we will not be moving any sites between the hours of 8am-6pm EST.
I expect the transition to be seamless. Sites that are highly customized, requiring certain modules or server settings are more likely to experience a disruption. If your site falls into this category, please take note of any customizations you may have and we'll make sure to address them after your site has been moved.
I also don't see any reason for a disruption with email during the transition, particularly those on EAS (Easy AntiSpam). Once accounts have been moved from Host5 to Host8, EAS will be routed to the new server.
I'll have another update on Tuesday night.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
It's possible the move could take 2-3 nights depending on how we're progressing with getting sites switched over and fixing any issues as a result.
One thing is certain, we will not be moving any sites between the hours of 8am-6pm EST.
I expect the transition to be seamless. Sites that are highly customized, requiring certain modules or server settings are more likely to experience a disruption. If your site falls into this category, please take note of any customizations you may have and we'll make sure to address them after your site has been moved.
I also don't see any reason for a disruption with email during the transition, particularly those on EAS (Easy AntiSpam). Once accounts have been moved from Host5 to Host8, EAS will be routed to the new server.
I'll have another update on Tuesday night.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Host5 Transfer In Early Stages
Tonight we started an initial phase of the migration of clients from Host5 to the new Host8. We are waiting on some new DNS propogation before moving sites.
Our goal is to begin moving sites either on Monday or Tuesday night. In the event of an unexpected power outage or backup generator failure we will begin the transfer immediately to minimize any downtime.
Two things...
1) Due to the extent of our recent DNS changes, clients on all servers may see more spam than normal during a brief period that should extend no later than Monday.
2) For clients of all servers, if your domain has custom DNS settings, please let us know immediately so we may ensure you are setup properly. Custom DNS includes any A Record, CNAME or MX record changes you may have requested in order to receive the service of a third party vendor (commonly used for mail).
If you are experiencing any problems with your site currently, please let us know and we'll be glad to check into it.
I will update soon with new developments on the Host5 transfer.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Our goal is to begin moving sites either on Monday or Tuesday night. In the event of an unexpected power outage or backup generator failure we will begin the transfer immediately to minimize any downtime.
Two things...
1) Due to the extent of our recent DNS changes, clients on all servers may see more spam than normal during a brief period that should extend no later than Monday.
2) For clients of all servers, if your domain has custom DNS settings, please let us know immediately so we may ensure you are setup properly. Custom DNS includes any A Record, CNAME or MX record changes you may have requested in order to receive the service of a third party vendor (commonly used for mail).
If you are experiencing any problems with your site currently, please let us know and we'll be glad to check into it.
I will update soon with new developments on the Host5 transfer.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Saturday, June 7, 2008
The Host5 Move
As I mentioned in earlier posts, I'm planning on moving all clients from Host5 onto a brand new server in a different datacenter. The reason is because I feel Host5 isn't in a very stable environment right now.
I just secured a new server and tomorrow (Saturday) we will start the Cpanel and SSL installs along with account migration from Host5.
On Sunday we're planning on changing over the DNS so all client sites from Host5 start coming up on the new box, which will be called Host8.
By Monday, provided there are no surprises, we should have all clients from Host5 on a new server.
By the way, I'm really looking forward to working with the new server as it's our most powerful one yet. It's a Dual Xeon 3.0 Ghz with two, 200GB RAID hard drives. This allows data from the first drive to be automatically synched with the second drive, ensuring lack of downtime as a result of hard drive failure. We'll also be loading up Cpanel with Fantastico, a client favorite (more on that later).
Regarding the move, I came up with 10 things to keep in mind....
1) Try not to make any changes to your website over the weekend. The backup we make of your website on Saturday will be what everyone sees on Monday. If you do publish changes over the weekend, you may need to republish on Monday.
4) You may see some duplicate emails from the weekend. The backup may include some emails you've already retrieved. This is normal.
5) You will get more spam during this transition. In order to maintain email flow, your spam filter will be removed for a short period of time while we adjust your filter to a new server.
6) Host5 will remain online along with Host8 for a couple weeks. This means you will have the ability to retrieve any files or emails from the old server in the event they did not transfer.
7) Once your site is running off the new server it is very important to verify all your files were transferred. Our techs will be standing by to repair any sites that need attention as a result of the transfer.
8) Most sites will transfer smoothly. Those with many customizations, databases, scripts, etc. may require some troubleshooting by our techs.
9) Have a backup of your website. It is always a good idea, regardless of the circumstances, to have a copy of your own website.
10) Have a plan to re-publish your site, if needed. If you don't know how to publish your own website, be sure to have someone standing by who does. I'm not saying you will need them for this move, but if you do, you won't have a crisis at the last minute.
I will have more updates as this move progresses...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
I just secured a new server and tomorrow (Saturday) we will start the Cpanel and SSL installs along with account migration from Host5.
On Sunday we're planning on changing over the DNS so all client sites from Host5 start coming up on the new box, which will be called Host8.
By Monday, provided there are no surprises, we should have all clients from Host5 on a new server.
By the way, I'm really looking forward to working with the new server as it's our most powerful one yet. It's a Dual Xeon 3.0 Ghz with two, 200GB RAID hard drives. This allows data from the first drive to be automatically synched with the second drive, ensuring lack of downtime as a result of hard drive failure. We'll also be loading up Cpanel with Fantastico, a client favorite (more on that later).
Regarding the move, I came up with 10 things to keep in mind....
1) Try not to make any changes to your website over the weekend. The backup we make of your website on Saturday will be what everyone sees on Monday. If you do publish changes over the weekend, you may need to republish on Monday.
4) You may see some duplicate emails from the weekend. The backup may include some emails you've already retrieved. This is normal.
5) You will get more spam during this transition. In order to maintain email flow, your spam filter will be removed for a short period of time while we adjust your filter to a new server.
6) Host5 will remain online along with Host8 for a couple weeks. This means you will have the ability to retrieve any files or emails from the old server in the event they did not transfer.
7) Once your site is running off the new server it is very important to verify all your files were transferred. Our techs will be standing by to repair any sites that need attention as a result of the transfer.
8) Most sites will transfer smoothly. Those with many customizations, databases, scripts, etc. may require some troubleshooting by our techs.
9) Have a backup of your website. It is always a good idea, regardless of the circumstances, to have a copy of your own website.
10) Have a plan to re-publish your site, if needed. If you don't know how to publish your own website, be sure to have someone standing by who does. I'm not saying you will need them for this move, but if you do, you won't have a crisis at the last minute.
I will have more updates as this move progresses...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Friday, June 6, 2008
Host5 Back Again
Host5 is back again. I'm working to reduce the number of outages by moving your account to a new server as soon as possible.
I need to be sure our plan is solid otherwise the move won't go smoothly. The main priorities are no downtime and working email.
Thanks so much for your patience and check back for more updates.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
I need to be sure our plan is solid otherwise the move won't go smoothly. The main priorities are no downtime and working email.
Thanks so much for your patience and check back for more updates.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Host5 Reboot
Host5 hasn't come online yet due to a reboot issue. However, it is being addressed and we expect Host5 to be online very soon.
Stay tuned for another update.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport
Stay tuned for another update.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport
New Generators In Place
The backup generator that had been powering part of the datacenter since Wednesday went down.
A new generator is in place and power is currently being restored to those servers affected by the outage.
Host1 is now back online and hope to have host5 online again shortly.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport
A new generator is in place and power is currently being restored to those servers affected by the outage.
Host1 is now back online and hope to have host5 online again shortly.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport
Host1 and Host5 Outage
Right now I'm seeing an outage for both Host1 and Host5 servers. The datacenter tells me it is a network issue that is being resolved.
Another update is coming.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Another update is coming.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Host5 Emails Flowing Again
I have verified with various clients that email is again flowing on Host5. Those on EAS (Easy AntiSpam) will receive all messages from the downtime.
You may experience a timeout error or delay while checking mail. This is normal right now as the server is busy not only with delivering email, but with the many trying to check it.
Should you have any problems, please contact Support.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
You may experience a timeout error or delay while checking mail. This is normal right now as the server is busy not only with delivering email, but with the many trying to check it.
Should you have any problems, please contact Support.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
Host5 Email Issue
Right now we're experiencing an issue with inbound email on Host5. Many clients are experiencing timout errors.
I am working with Cpanel to resolve this issue and will give an update as soon as I have something. It could be any time now.
The good news...if you have EAS (Easy AntiSpam) enabled on your account, any emails sent to you during this downtime will be resent to you once the server is able to accept them.
Stayed tuned for more updates.
Thanks,
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
I am working with Cpanel to resolve this issue and will give an update as soon as I have something. It could be any time now.
The good news...if you have EAS (Easy AntiSpam) enabled on your account, any emails sent to you during this downtime will be resent to you once the server is able to accept them.
Stayed tuned for more updates.
Thanks,
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
EAS Email Protection
Host5 continues to do well today and is now running very smoothly. Emails continue to arrive from previous days thanks to our spam filter, provided by (EAS) Easy AntiSpam.
The EAS filter keeps email up to 5 days if it's not successful in sending. Without this filter all emails during downtime would surely have been lost.
Typically EAS costs around $5/mo. per domain name but we include it free to all our clients. Aside from the nice queue feature, EAS does the best job I've ever seen with handling spam. The feedback I've received from users has been very positive as well.
If you would like EAS enabled for your account just let me know and I'll be glad to help.
Thanks,
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
The EAS filter keeps email up to 5 days if it's not successful in sending. Without this filter all emails during downtime would surely have been lost.
Typically EAS costs around $5/mo. per domain name but we include it free to all our clients. Aside from the nice queue feature, EAS does the best job I've ever seen with handling spam. The feedback I've received from users has been very positive as well.
If you would like EAS enabled for your account just let me know and I'll be glad to help.
Thanks,
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Host5 Status
Host5 has been back for about 3 hours and doing fairly well. Outbound email appears to be ontime but inbound may see a delay.
Currently the server is under more load than usual since it has to process days worth of emails, not to mention all the activity from various users happening at the same time. We are monitoring it and working through support requests.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Currently the server is under more load than usual since it has to process days worth of emails, not to mention all the activity from various users happening at the same time. We are monitoring it and working through support requests.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Welcome Back Host5
Great news, Host5 is now back online. After completing a routine system check upon reboot everything has loaded up fine so far.
I'm waiting on a report from the datacenter to see if there are any isssues I need to be aware of regarding the reboot, but so far so good.
More announcements coming soon...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
I'm waiting on a report from the datacenter to see if there are any isssues I need to be aware of regarding the reboot, but so far so good.
More announcements coming soon...
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Morning Update
Good morning. The ticket I submitted to the datacenter for Host5 is getting attention within minutes so I should have an update within the hour on the status.
Stay tuned.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Stay tuned.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
Support: http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Data Center Update
The datacenter just announced they are aware of issues with the remaining servers and working through the night, addressing them one by one.
This would include our Host5 web sever.
Currently I'm waiting for an update on this from the datacenter. I'm also working on alternate plans of action in case Host5 is not up by morning.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
This would include our Host5 web sever.
Currently I'm waiting for an update on this from the datacenter. I'm also working on alternate plans of action in case Host5 is not up by morning.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.WebFeatWorks.com
http://www.WebFeatSupport.com
Servers Are Coming Back Online
At this time host1 is back online using a new backup power generator. Curiously Host5 has not returned yet. I'm told there are still issues to be worked out. I will report when I have an official announcement from the data center.
By the way, for those of you following the data center's blog, any mention of DNS zones, etc. does not apply to us. We are only concerned with power issues.
It is my goal to ensure your site is online and stays that way for as long as possible. In the very near future I'll be giving your sites a new home on a more powerful server and in a different data center.
If you need any assistance with your site, don't hesitate to contact me by phone or email.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
By the way, for those of you following the data center's blog, any mention of DNS zones, etc. does not apply to us. We are only concerned with power issues.
It is my goal to ensure your site is online and stays that way for as long as possible. In the very near future I'll be giving your sites a new home on a more powerful server and in a different data center.
If you need any assistance with your site, don't hesitate to contact me by phone or email.
Anthony
Web Feat
http://www.webfeatworks.com/
Support: http://www.webfeatsupport.com/
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